Michel Belanger

HAMILTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is pleased to announce the 2012 OUA football schedule. The road to the 105th Yates Cup kicks off on Labour Day, as all ten teams begin their 2012 campaign on September 3.

The Vanier Cup-winning McMaster Marauders begin the defence of their Yates Cup title as they host the Guelph Gryphons. McMaster will look to use an enthusiastic home-crowd to their advantage, as the last t! ime the Marauders and Gryphons faced off it was in front of a packed Alumni Stadium at Guelph Homecoming. The Marauders won that competition 37-13.

Western and McMaster meet in a highly anticipated Yates Cup re-match on September 29 at TD Waterhouse Stadium. There is a lot on the line, as the Mustangs will be looking to avenge their Yates Cup loss, and the game will headline Western's 2012 Homecoming celebrations.

Other schedule highlights include:

* Week 1 will re-create the 2011 Yates Cup quarter-final between the Windsor Lancers and the Ottawa Gee-Gees. This time Ottawa will make the longest journey in OUA football, and look to improve on the 50-33 season-ending loss.

* The Queen's Gaels travel to Waterloo to take on the Laurier Golden Hawks on September 8. The Gaels ended Laurier's season in the 2011 Yates Cup quarter-final.

* Week 3 showcases two great rivalry matchups as Queen's plays host to Western and McMaster travels to Ottawa to take on the Gee-Gees. Western's only regular season loss in 2011 was at the hands of the Gaels. The 37-0 routing signified the first time the Mustangs had been held scoreless since 1973.

* In another playoff rematch, Queen's heads to Ron Joyce Stadium on September 22 to take on the McMaster Marauders. McMaster handily won the 2011 semifinal 40-13.

* York hosts Waterloo on September 22 as part of York's Homecoming festivities. When these teams met in 2011, the Lions edged the Warriors 20-18. The result came down to a field goal kicked in overtime.

* The battle of Waterloo will take place on Thanksgiving weekend, as Waterloo makes the short trek down the street to take on cross-town rivals, the Laurier Golden Hawks, for a Thursday night game under the lights.

* In another regional matchup, the Battle of Toronto takes place in Week 7. The Toronto Varsity Blues will head across town to take on the York Lions in the 43rd Annual Red & Blue Bowl.

The OUA regular season will conclude on Saturday, October 20th, with teams vying for a postseason berth.

The OUA quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, Oct. 27 followed by the OUA semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 3. The OUA football season concludes at the 105th Yates Cup presented by Pioneer Energy on Saturday, Nov. 10.

Week 1

Monday, Sept. 3

Ottawa @ Windsor

Western @ Waterloo

Guelph @ McMaster

York @ Queen's

Laurier @ Toronto

Week 2

Saturday, Sept. 8

McMaster @ Waterloo

Toronto @ Western

Ottawa @ York

Guelph @ Windsor

Queen's @ Laurier

Week 3

Saturday, Sept. 15

Western @ Queen's

York @ Laurier

Waterloo @ Guelph

McMaster @ Ottawa

Windsor @ Toronto

Week 4

Saturday, Sept. 22

Toronto @ Guelph

Waterloo @ York

Windsor @ Western

Laurier @ Ottawa

Queen's @ McMaster

Week 5

Saturday, Sept. 29

McMaster @ Western

Toronto @ Waterloo

Guelph @ Laurier

York @ Windsor

Ottawa @ Queen's

Week 6

Thursday, Oct. 4

Waterloo @ Laurier

Saturday, Oct. 6

McMaster @ York

Queen's @ Windsor

Ottawa @ Toronto

Western @ Guelph

Week 7

Saturday, Oct. 13

Laurier @ Western

Queen's @ Guelph

York @ Toronto

Waterloo @ Ottawa

Windsor @ McMaster

Week 8

Saturday, Oct. 20

Toronto @ Queen's

Windsor @ Waterloo

Western @ Ottawa

Laurier @ McMaster

Guelph @ York

OUA Quarter-finals

Saturday, Oct. 27

6th place @ 3rd place

5th place @ 4th place

Bye - 1st and 2nd place

OUA Semifinals

Saturday, Nov. 3

Lowest Remaining Seed @ 1st place

Second-Lowest Remain! ing Seed @ 2nd place

105th Yates Cup presented by Pioneer Energy

Saturday, Nov. 10

Lowest Remaining Seed @ Highest Remaining Seed